Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-29
ARIZONA BANDITS.
BOLD NIGHT ATTACK ON A WEST
BOUND TRAIN.
600 by Throwing it Into the
Stove-A Neat Job.
IsrEcIAL nssPArcH TO THE RECORD UNION

preaching Papago, side station, was sig
nailed by a red lantern to stop. He slowed
down, and as he approached the light he
placed that in case he failed to stop the
engine would spread the track and derail
herself. Immediately on stopping dozen
or more
And man with pistol in each hand
boarded the locomotive and commanded
Harper to ge. down. Other robbers had in
the meantime been trying to open the ex-
press-car. Failing to get it open, they
placed stick of giant powder under it
| and compelled Harper to light the fuse at
tached. This he was obliged to do, but
| to avoid being blown up the messenger
| opened the car and the robbers took pos
| session. They then took charge of the
car, uncoupled the engine, baggage and
| express-car from the balance of the
train, and made Harper get on the engine
| and pull ahead two lengths. This being
done, he was again put off, and the robbers
| took charge of the engine and ran six
miles toward Tucson, here they killed "
| the engine and left it.
THE AMOUNT OF PLUMBER SECURED.
During the six mile run the robbers went
through the mail and express cars, but did
| not, it is reported get more than about
| So 900, of which 81 800 was Mexican silver.
| They got two packages of railroad money,
one of $l,2lO and one of $500; also took
two packages of postage stamps going to
| the postoffice at San Francisco. 1t is re-
| ported that the express messenger threw
$4,000 in gold into the stove, and so saved
it from the robbers.
| Nothing was known here of the affair till
| past midnight, when telegram was re-
ceived from Pantano, brakeman having
walked back eight miles to that place. A
| special was sent down, and the train was
| brought in about o'clock this morning.
PASSENGERS IGNORANT OF THE ROBBERY.
None of the passengers were molested.
1t is said that some of the passengers knew
| nothing of the trouble till after their arri-
| val here. Under Sheriff Shibell was early
| at the scene of trouble, but could discover
nothing that would lead to the identity OF
! the robbers. 1t is not known how they
went to the place ofthe hold-up, nor which
| way they went after committing the rob-
| berry.
OFFICERS IN PURSUIT.
! A party of ten trailers, under Deputy
Sheriff NJ. T. Shaw, has just left for the
| scene of the trouble. The robbers are be-
lieved to be discharged railroad employees.
Although they compelled engineer Harper
to show them how to handle the locomo-
tive, it is still believed by their actions in
handling the train that they were perfectly
| familiar with such work The locomotive
is the same one on which engineer Webster
was killed at the Gage-station robbery.
| The Engineer of the Train Tells How the
| Work Was Zone.
! Tucson, April 28th.-No word has been
| heard from the men who went after the
| railroad robbers. Among the party are
some of the best trailers in the country,
and it is believed the robbers will be run
| down. In an interview with engineer
| Harper, he said it happened about $50
| o'clock, twenty-six miles east of Pspago,
in big cut. :" saw red light in the
middle of the track and distractions
further along. l stopped within the en-
gines length of the objects. AS stopped
the robbers commenced firing from the
l biuh han OF 4
to throw out the box and open the doors,
meaning the express box. They fired into
the mail and express car about twenty-five
| shots. In the meantime the firemen and
myself were covered by man on each
side of the banks. Then four of them
came down, two on each side. Two came
to the gangway of the engine, one on each
| side, having two revolvers EACH The man
on the left side said,
c. D YOU, GET DOWN.
/ did so, and he put giant-powder cart
ridge in my right hand, the red lantern in
my left, and said Take that, light it. and
put it in the express carl He marched
me to the car with revolver in each hand
while the other covered the fireman. i
| told him this was not necessary-I could
| get the men out of the cars without hurt
ing any one. got the mail agent to come
out by telling him what was up was
| then taken TO the express car and told
| Now, d-n you, get that man out of that
car, or | will kill your told the express
messenger to open the doors and get out, as
HAD GIANT CARTRIDGE IN MY HAND.
| And was covered with revolvers. If he
| did not open the ear he would be blown up
| and both of us killed. and that they were
putting dynamite cartridge on the plat
| form. They had, in the meantime. made
the mail agent fill bucket with sand. into
which they put giant cartridge, but when
one of the robbers tried tolight it the wind
| blew the light out. The express agent got
out and they stood rs up. Two covered
us with revolvers, one on each side. | do
not know how much they got from the
others. They then marched me to see
| about water in the engine. / told them it
| needed it. One said there was enough. as
he looked at the gauge, showing that he
HAD BEEN ON AN ENGINE BEFORE.
| He said, suppose you recognize us fel-
| lows / said, No, don't recognize any
| body. ! am doing what am told to do. ;
| One man took the fireman back to cut the
| train between the express car and the
| sleeper, leaving the engine, mail and ex-
press cars. The fireman, John Clancy, did
| not know how to do it. They took him
back and made me do it. After uncoupling,
| | asked permission to put the brakes on the
| sleeper, to hold it. They allowed me to do
| so, and then | was taken back to the en-
| gine. The others were put off and held
under guard. / was ordered to move the
| two cars ahead, and again still further
| ahead. | was then taken to the rear
end of the express car, but was
called back for the reason that they could
not start the engine, as | had left it fixed
wrong. | was thSn made show them how
| to work the levers and was told to start ii
easy, and after it was going to Jump off,
which / did As the express car passed me
one of the robbers standing on the rear
platform babe me pleasant good night. IN
company with others / Immediately fol-
lowed after the engine and cars and over
took them one mile ives. of Papago sta
ton. The robbers had left the engine,
which was dead the throttle being wide
open and the headlight out.
1t sppears that the robbers stopped the
locomotive about a mile from where i. was
found, and took the registered mail and
express matter on the engine and there
opened it, as much of the matter was found